A pair of Asian one-horned rhinos from Nepal officially met with the public today. Photo by Qian Ye
On March 23, a pair of Asian one-horned rhinos from Nepal: the female Asian one-horned rhinoceros "Mettini" and the male Asian one-horned rhino "Solarti" officially met with the public, and the Asian one-horned rhino was exhibited in China without previous reports.
The Asian one-horned rhinoceros is a primitive rhinoceros, generally 2.1-4.2 m long, tail length 60-75 cm, shoulder height 1.1-2 m, weight 2000-4000 kg. They are large rhinos, second only to white rhinos in size. The Asian one-horned rhinoceros has a nose horn and looks like it is wearing a piece of armor. The skin between their skin folds is delicate and susceptible to mosquito bites, so they take mud baths almost every day to prevent mosquito bites.
At present, the female "Metini" and the male "Sorati" have both weighed more than 1 ton. Photo by Qian Ye
At the beginning of the last century, the Asian one-horned rhinoceros was extinct in China. At present, it is only distributed in a few Asian countries such as Nepal and India, which is very precious. The China-Nepal Joint Statement, signed in June 2018, proposes that the Government and people of Nepal present two pairs of Asian one-horned rhinos to the Chinese government and people. In August 2018, a pair of Asian one-horned rhinos donated by Nepal came to Shanghai Wildlife Park, and since then, the "China-Nepal Rhino Conservation Cooperation Study" has been launched, opening a new chapter in rhino protection between the two countries.
Shanghai Wild Animal Park introduced on the same day that since the arrival of this pair of Asian one-horned rhinos, the park has been working hard to select a site in the park to build a "new home" for the Asian one-horned rhinoceros. Eventually, the Asian one-horned rhino will be its neighbors with African and Asian elephants.
The two Asian one-horned rhinos have a good relationship with their keepers. Photo by Qian Ye
According to the garden, the weight of the female "Metini" and the male "Sorati" has exceeded 1 ton, and the body length of "Metini" has increased by 23 cm, and the shoulder height has increased by 15 cm; the body length of "Sorati" has increased by 35 cm, and the shoulder height has increased by 20 cm. Although the rhinos are still in sub-adults, the reporter can already see that a horn on their nose has begun to sprout, with several layers of folds on the body and many small drum bags like round nails, as if they are covered with a thick layer of armor. The magical appearance attracts exclamations and applause from tourists.
Today, Asian one-horned rhinos eat 120 pounds of food per day. It is understood. Their "recipes" are based on fresh pasture and grass, with fresh fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, apples and so on. It is revealed that the two of them are particularly fond of bananas.
This pair of Asian one-horned rhinos is very spiritual, and like children, it can be playful and cute. Photo by Qian Ye
Now, the two Asian one-horned rhinos have a good relationship with their breeders, especially the "Solarti", which always likes to let the breeders caress it and call its name. The keepers love them both, and in addition to taking care of their daily lives, they often "talk and chat" with them. The keeper laughed and said that this pair of Asian one-horned rhinos is very spiritual, and like children, it will be playful and cute. (End)